Interesting thread.

My psychologist is probably the most down to earth well-rounded person I have ever met. If she does have issues in her personal life she does just that - she keeps it personal and underwraps. This doesn't mean though she is cold and stone-faced but I haven't figured her out entirely. I don't even know if she has a family.

My (former) psychiatrist I am sure lived with a Mood Disorder. He at times seemed rather frazzled and anxious. At other times I wondered if he was depressed. The only fissure in his professionalism seemed to revolve around his son. I sensed this was a struggle. Call it the case of the cobbler's kid going barefoot. Despite him being the professional psychiatrist he was, he was not able to deal with his own son's behaviour. When this did come up it was clearly quite a source of angst and difficulty for him. I could tell this was an emotional trigger for him and he seemed unable, despite his training in coaching others to do the same, to deal with the anxiety and depression that resulted.

Usually this came up when we discussed my own children especially my son. My psychiatrist would then compare his own son to mine and infer his just wasn't making the most of himself. I got the impression he was real trouble. I felt myself feeling sorry for my doctor and yes the tables would turn as at some instances I would offer advice.

For reasons not of his choosing, the man had to alter and reduce his practise leaving me out in the cold. Yes, I have some resentment for the manner in which things came to an end but I could feel that he was tormented about doing so.

My psychiatrist was in every way a fallible human.